The Appearance Of Corruption

Download or read book The Appearance of Corruption written by Daron R. Shaw and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Buckley v. Valeo (1976), the US Supreme Court famously upheld the constitutionality of legislation limiting individual campaign contributions in federal elections. Key to the Court's decision is the notion that the government has a compelling interest in reducing "the appearance of corruption." By reducing the public's belief that elected officials are corrupt, the Court argues, we will see increased trust in government and, thereby, increased political participation. This behavioral model is unique in Supreme Court jurisprudence, yet has never been subjected to systematic empirical verification. This book identifies and tests the model with several national surveys. The data refute many of the linkages assumed by the Court, raising questions about the legal foundation for limiting political speech in federal election campaigns.